26 May 1998
Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html
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[Congressional Record: May 22, 1998 (Extensions)]
[Page E973-E974]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr22my98-114]
IT'S OFFICIAL, THE SAFE ACT, (H.R. 695) JEOPARDIZES ISRAEL'S SECURITY!
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HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON
of new york
in the house of representatives
Friday, May 22, 1998
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, the Israeli Ministry of Defense has just
issued a statement regarding encryption which states that the decontrol
of encryption exports, as allowed by the SAFE Act, (H.R. 695) would
threaten Israel's national security. Listen carefully to their exact
statement: ``Israel considers the regulation and control of encryption
products and technology to be vital to its national security, the
combating of terrorism and effective law enforcement. Engagement of any
kind in encryption technology in Israel is controlled by the Government
of Israel. Israeli government policy will continue to protect sensitive
and essential interests by enforcing strict national security policy in
this regard. It is Israel's view that all countries should do their
utmost to prevent the acquisition of strong encryption technology and
products by terrorist and criminal entities.''
And yet, as we all know, H.R. 695 allows for the immediate export of
unrestricted encryption technology and allows for the acquisition of
strong encryption technology by
[[Page E974]]
international terrorists. When questioned about the effects of H.R. 695
(The SAFE Act) Major General David Ivry, Advisor to Israel's Minister
of Defense said that ``we would encourage all of our friends in the
United States to oppose the bill.'' Any friend of Israel in the United
States Congress who are cosponsoring H.R. 695 should ask for a briefing
by the NSA and then remove their names from the bill.
All Americans who care about Israel's security should find out where
their Member of Congress stands on this most important issue. The
proponents of this bill maintain that Israel's enemies will eventually
possess encryption technology. Even if this is true, it fails to
explain why we should rush to place this technology in the hands of our
enemies.
The Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the
National Security Agency and now the Israel Ministry of Defense believe
that America and Israel need time to develop countermeasures to address
the various threats posed these new technologies and H.R. 695 does not
give us this time. The truth is that now that we have the official
Israel position on encryption no real friend of Israel should remain a
cosponsor of H.R. 695.
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